Bobbin-carrying shuttle devices



R. S. GENDUSO BOBBIN-CARRYING SHUTTLE DEVICES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 19, 1962 Filed March 29, 1960 FlG. 2. 3

ATTORNEY June 19, 1962 R. s. GENDuso 3,039,411

BOBBIN-CRRYING SHUTTLE DEVICES Filed March 29, 1960 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 y um n June 19, 1962 R. s. GENDUso 3,039,411

EoEBIN-CAREYING SHUTTLE DEvIcEs Filed March 29, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ROBERT S. GENDUSO v Y ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,039,411 BOBBlN-CARRYING SHUTTLE DEVICES Robert S. Genduso, 6503 Broadway, West New York, NJ. Filed Mar. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 18,357 8 Claims. (Cl. Ilz-95) This invention relates to bobbin-carrying shuttle devices and particularly, although not exclusively, to shuttles employed in embroidery machines.

In conventional embroidery apparatus, a plurality of steel-shell shuttles are slidably disposed in a corresponding plurality of stationary shuttle compartments or boxes arranged along the length of the machine, the shuttles being operatively movable along pre-determined paths between upper and lower limiting positions, there being reciprocatingly actuated needles carrying threads which form loops through which the respective shuttles move during their upward travel, said loops engaging the threads from the bobbins within the respective shuttles and forming lock stitches therewith when the shuttles reach their uppermost level and the loops slip out therebeneath. In such conventional machines there is framework having a plurality of the aforesaid boxes for housing said shuttles, there being a pin extending into each box and underlying the shuttle and also a top 'bar adjustably positioned above said shuttle. A shuttle-actuating rail, extending longitudinally of the machine, supports said pins and bars, the rail being reciprocatingly movable up and do-wn, whereby the bottom pins are enabled to actuate the shuttles upwardly along their pre-determined paths, the upper bars engaging said shuttles to limit them to said movement. The said bars are firmly hel-d in place by a spring, slide and nut assembly, so that they could individually be assembled and disassembled, and adjustably positioned for optimum operation. In a conventional ten-yard embroidery machine there are 684 adjustable bar assemblies, constituting a costly item and requiring considerable labor in their operative attachment to the machine, in their operative retraction when bobbins must be replaced, and in the adjusting manipulations required to properly set them into position. Such setting is of prime importance because the predetermined distances between the bars and pins must be maintained Within close tolerances to prevent a 'breakage of the threads, and further because the position of the adjustable top bars must bear a predetermined relation to the needle paths :for uniform results.

It is a primary objective `of my invention to provide a shuttle device of the above-mentioned category in which there are no upper bars or adjustable bar assemblies, and yet which enables the shuttle members electively to perform their regular stitch-forming functions. And in this aspect of my invention it is a further object to reduce the cost of machines of the said category, of their maintenance, and of the labor required for their operation, thereby to effect economies in their output.

It is an inherent characteristic of conventional machines of the class above described that there is some play between the shuttle members and their respective underlying pins and overlying bars, since it is required that there be sufficient spaces for the threads to pass over the shuttles in the operative process of making loops around the shuttles. This play causes high-frequency irnpacts upon the pins and bars-for there are an average of 248 up and down movements of the shuttles per minute with the resulting damage to said machine elements, as well as the requirement to make frequent adjustments. Moreover, the said impacts generally produce different operative effects on the shuttles and the bobbins lcarried thereby, so that the bobbin threads of the shuttles are not all consumed at the same time. It is therefore frequently necessary to replace a fully used-up shuttle while the machine is in work an operation which is dangerous. Furthermore, because of the ever-present possibility that a bobbin will run out, it is necessary that an alert Watch be at all times maintained so as to prevent extended misses and long runs in the fabric. It is accordingly not uncommon `for such runs to appear in the finished work of such conventional machines. To prevent such an occurrence, especially near the end of a shuttle cycle, it is a common practice to stop the machine and remove all the shuttles an uneconomic practice which is nevertheless deemed preferable to the production of work with excessive damage in misses.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a shuttle device with the aforesaid shortcomings reduced or eliminated, and which is capable of producing uniform stitches, of operating so that all the bobbins run out substantially at the same time, whereby there is a considerable saving of bobbin yarn and the reduced need to subject the operator to the danger of replacing shuttles while the machine is in operation.

These objectives are accomplished by the use of novel magnetic means which operatively hold the shuttles along their required paths without the use of an upper bar, and yet which permit the loops to slip under the respective shuttles in the formation of lock stitches.

My invention is adapted, in line with another objective, to be readily and economically applied to existing conventional machines, and to be operatively employed for long periods of time without replacement. v

Still another object of my invention is to provide lowcost, easily replaceable elements constituting the magnetic means above-mentioned.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

FIG. l is a `fragmentary front view of an embroidery machine employing my invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. l, the needles in their retracted positions.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section of FIG. l taken substantially along line 3 3, a needle being shown in its retracted position, the full-line representation of the shuttle and associated parts indicating their lowermost operative positions, and the dot-dash representation indicating their uppermost operative positions.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section of FIG. 3 taken substantially along line 4 4, the shuttles :being shown in their lowermost positions.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section, partly in elevation, of the device with the shuttles in their uppermost positions, the section bein-g taken substantially along line 4 4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary View of a portion of FIG. 3, showing a shuttle in its lowermost position, the needle being shown returning Ifrom its operatively projected position, vportions being removed `for clarity.

FlG. 7 is a section of FIG. 6 taken along line 7 7.

'being shown FIG.,8 is a View like FIG. 6, but with the shuttle in an intermediate raised position.

FIG. 9 is a section of FIG. 8 taken along line 9 9.

FIG. 10 is a View like FIG. 6, but with the shuttle just short of its uppermost position and the needle in a partly retracted position, the loop being shown in position just prior to being slipped under the shuttle.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view, substantially like FIG. 10 but showing the loop disposed between the shuttle and the underlying pin, and in the process of being withdrawn to form a lock stitch.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective View of the structure shown in FIG. 8, but looking from another direction, showing the shuttle in an intermediate position and enveloped by the loop.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view like FIG. 1l, but showing the loop after it has been disengaged from the shuttle and pin.

FIG. 14 is a bottom view of a modified form of magnetic pin construction, showing two pin members Operatively clamped in place.

FIG. 15 is a section of FIG. 14 taken along line 15-15.

FIG. 16 is a 4bottom view of another embodiment of my invention, showing two pin members operatively clamped in place.

FIG. 17 is a section of FIG. 16 taken along line 17-17.

In the form of my invention illustrated `in FIGS. 1 to 13, the stationary machine framework is generally indicated by the reference numeral 20, said framework supporting by bolts 19 the conventional longitudinally disposed inclined shuttle boxes or compartments 211 within which the steel-shell shuttles 22 operatively slide between upper and lower limiting positions. The detailed construction of said shuttle boxes 21 is not herein described as it is well known to those skilled in the art. Suice it to say, for the purpose of this specification, that shuttles 22 are of conventional construction, each having a bottom wall 22a, an upper tip 22h and an intermediate body portion of well-known conventional configuration, said boxes having inclined walls 23 with at surfaces 24 which are in slidable engagement with said intermediate body portions of said shuttles 22, said walls 23 being spaced apart a suicient distance to permit freedom of operative movement of the shuttle (see FIGS. 4 and 5). Secured to the rear ends of said walls 23 are plates 25 with holes 26 therein for operatively accommodating the respective needles 27 and the threads 28 (from spools not shown) carried thereby, said walls having horizontal slotted portions 29 in registry with said holes 26 also `for accommodating said needles when operatively moving through said boxes, as will more clearly hereinafter appear. The said needles are releasably supported -by clamp plates 30 and needle bar 31, the latter being operatively movable forwardly and rearwardly, in the directions of arrows A (FIGS. 2 and 3), by actuating means not shown but well known to those skilled in the art.

Exetending through spaces 32 in the front portions of said boxes 21 are the magnetic shuttle-actuating pin members 33 to be hereinafter described, the rear portions of these members underlying the respective shuttles 22, the lfront portions being clamped between the underside of the longitudinally extending rail member 34 and the underlying clamp plates 35 secured to the rail member by bolts 36. In the particular arrangement shown, each of said plates 35 is in clamping engagement with two of said pin members 33. Said rail member 34 has the front recessed portion 37 and the longitudinally aligned spaced slotted portions 3S for operatively accommodating conventional longitudinally spaced sets of rail actuating members. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, one of said sets comprises the block 39 adjustably positioned in recess 37, the bolt 40 extending through slotted portion 38, through the aperture 41 in the block 39 and through the apertured portion 42 in the lug 43, the latter being connected to the link 44 slidably extending through the guide 45 on framework 2t] and being operatively connected to conventional actuating means (not shown) for imparting reciprocating movements to said link 44 in the direction of arrows B (FIG. 1). The arrangement-well known to those skilled in the art-is such as to impart to the said rail member 34 operative up and down movements, along sloping paths defined by the slopes of said surfaces 24 of walls 23 of the shuttle boxes, between predetermined upper and lower limiting positions-said operative rail movements causing corresponding movements of said pin members 33 for operatively actuating the shuttles along their operative paths.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 13, each 0f said pin members comprises a non-magnetic tubular jacket 46 with a recessed upper rear portion 47 exposing the upper rear portion 43 of the magnetic rod 49 force-fitted into the jacket-the said exposed rear portion 48 of said magnetic rod being positioned in underlying engagement with said shuttle 22. Within the rear of the jacket 33 is filler rod 5t) for supporting the forward wall of the jacket under the operative pressure of clamp plate 35. Said jacket protects the major portion of the magnetic rod and serves to take up some of the stress due to the repeated operative movements of the rail member and shuttles.

Other forms of pin members are shown in FIGS. 14 to 17. The pin member of FIGS. 14 and l5 is substantially like that of the form iirst above described, but having two magnetic rods 51 and 52 force-fitted into the opposite end portions of the non-magnetic jacket 53, said end portions having the respective recessed portions 54 and 55 for exposing the operative portions of said magnetic rods, whereby the pin member could be reversed-in the event one of said magnetic rods become multilated-for operatively employing the other of said rods. It will be noted that the said recessed portions are diametrically oppositely positioned, so that when one of said magnetic rods, such as 52 (see FIG. 15) serves as a structural support for the jacket, the exposed portion of said rod 52 is not in direct engagement with either the rail member 34 or the clamp plate 35. The pin member 56 of FIGS. 16 and 17 is a single unjacketed magnetic rod, operatively clamped between the rail 34 and clamp 35, and proportioned to underlie the corresponding shuttle.

The magnetic pin members above described, or of any other form proportioned and positioned to underlie the respective shuttles, are of such magnetic properties as magnetically to attract the shuttles, maintaining magnetic contact therewith at all times except momentarily when the loops slip out from beneath the respective shuttles in the formation of lock stitches. As will more clearly appear from the description hereinbelow given, the loopforming and stitch-forming operations are performed in conventional manner but without the use of the abovementioned conventional upper bars, and without their aforesaid shortcomings.

When the magnetic pin members 33 are in their lowermos-t operative positions, as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7, the bottom Walls 22a of the respective steel shuttles 22 are in engagement with the exposed portions 48 of the magnetic rods 4 the upper shuttle tips 2217 being just below the said slotted portions 29. The thread 57 from each of the bobbins (not shown) in the said shuttles 22 extends outwardly through the corresponding holes 26 of the rear plate 25 ,to the point 58 of the fabric SSV-said point 58 representing the locked position of the stitch formed by the previous movement of coacting needle 27 (see FIGS. 3 and 6).

It shou-ld here be noted that said fabricupon which the embroidered stitching is being formed-extends upwardly from the roll 60, the said roll and the fabric being mounted on a movable frame (not shown)-said frame being operatively movable relative to said hole 26 in ac,- cordance with predetermined designs. The construction of the frame and the mechanism for moving it together y/with said fabric '59 are not shown, since they are well known to those skilled in the art, and further since a detailed description thereof is not necessary for an understanding of this invention.

While the shuttle is in its said lowermost position, the needle bar 31 is moved `from the retracted position shown in FIG. 3 to a forward projected position, whereupon it is retracted slightly to the initial loop-forming position shown in FIG. 6 The said member 34 is then operatively elevated, carrying the pin members 33 upwardly, the tips 22h of the shuttles entering the loops formed by the respective threads carried by the needles. As each shuttle moves upwardly, the corresponding loop 61 envelopes the body of the shuttles, the loop rem-aining in the same plane while the shuttle moves upwardly, as indicated in FIGS. 8 and 9. As will be noted from FIG. 8, the yarn 57 from the shuttle bobbin engages the loop 57, preparatory to forming the lockstitch when the loop 61 is finally withdrawn by the retracted needle after the shuttle has reached its uppermost position. FIGS. ll and 13 show this uppermost position, the loop 61 being shown the instant it is in underlying engagement with the shuttle and disposed between the bottom of the shuttle and the magnetic element 49. The shuttle and magnetic element are but momentarily separated, the shuttle re-engaging the magnetic element the instant the loop is operatively withdrawn from below the shuttle, as illustrated in FIG. 13.

It is evident that, except for the momentary separation above mentioned, the shuttles 22 and the magnetic elements `49 are at all times in engagement, The arrangement is hence such that when the shuttles have reached their uppermost positions, as shown in FIG. lil, they are still magnetically held by the magnetic bars 49. And upon the operative lowering of the said pin members 33, the shuttles are still magnetically attached to the magnetic rods 49, the said rods pulling the shuttles, downwardly to their lowermost positions.

There are then no gaps between the shuttles and the shuttle-actuating members, such as occurs in conventional contructions. With no gaps there is no undesirable play, no damaging high frequency impacts by the shuttles upon the shuttle-actuating members, and no uncontrollable waste of bobbin yarn. There is accordingly comparatively economical operation, with less labor and less material, particularly in view of the complete elimination of upper bar members.

It is further to be noted that the magnetic pin members, such as member 33, or 51 and 52, or 56, can be operatively positioned in a conventional machine without any reconstruction thereof, since the conventional pin clamping means comprising the rail member 34 and clamping bar 35 can be employed in holding the aforesaid magnetic pin members in the manner conventional pins are held in such a machine. The only alteration in the machine is the removal of all the spring, slide and nut assemblies constituting the upper limiting bars of conventional machines.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modiiicatons may be made therein. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any form or manner of practicing same, except insofar as such limitations are specitied in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a shuttle device, an elongated steel shuttle member having an upper tip, a bottom wall and an intermediate body portion, a shuttle actuating member, a generally upwardly extending shuttle box in slidable supporting engagement with said intermediate body portion of said shuttle member, and means for moving said actuating member between upper and lower limiting positions with respect to said shuttle box, said yactuating member having a magnetic element underlying and in magnetic engagement with said bottom wall of said shuttle member, whereby the operative movement of said actu ating member between said limiting positions will cause a corresponding movement of said shuttle member.

2. In a shuttle device, the combination according to claim l, said actu-ating member comprising a magnetic rod.

3. In a shuttle device, a shuttle member of magnetically responsive metal, a shuttle actuating member, and means for moving said actuating member between two limiting positions, said actuating member comprising a magnetic element and a separate support for said element, said element being in magnetic engagement with said shuttle member, whereby the operative movement of said actuating member between said limiting positions will cause a corresponding movement of said shuttle member, said separate support being a tubular jacket enveloping a portion of said magnetic element, a portion of said element being exposed, said exposed portion being in operative engagement with said shuttle member.

4. In a shuttle device, a shuttle member of magnetically responsive metal, a shuttle actuating member, and means for moving said actuating member between an upper and a lower limiting position, said actuating member comprising a magnetic element and a jacket enveloping said element, said jacket being recessed a-t the upper portion of one end thereof, whereby a portion of said magnetic element is exposed, said exposed portion of said element being in underlying magnetic engagement with said shuttle, whereby the operative movement of said actuating member between said limiting positions will cause a corresponding movement of said shuttle member.

5. In a shuttle device, the combination according to claim 4, said jacket being of tubular coniguration and being of greater length than said magnetic element, and a solid ller member ydisposed -in said jacket in longitudinal alignment with said magnetic element.

6. In a shuttle device, a shuttle member of magnetically responsive metal, a shuttle actuating member, and means for moving said actuating member between an upper and a lower limiting position, said actuating member comprising a supporting member, two magnetic elements secured to said supporting member at spaced portions thereof, and clamping means releasably holding said actuating member in operative position with respect to said shuttle member, whereby each of said magnetic elements can selectively be held in underlying magnetic engagement with said shuttle member so that only one of said elements may be used at any one time.

7. In a shuttle device, the combination according to claim 6, said supporting member comprising a tubular jacket operatively supporting said two magnetic elements at opposite end portions of the jacket, said end portions being recessed at diametrically opposite sides of the jacket to expose portions of the respective adjacent elements.

8. In a shuttle device of the class in which la bobbincarrying shuttle member operatively moves through a loop of thread carried by a reciprocating needle moving transversely with respect to the operative path of the shuttle member, the combination of a shuttle member of magnetically responsive metal, a shuttle actuating member, means for moving the actuating member between an upper and a lower limiting position, and a loopcarrying reciprocating needle, said actuating member having a magnetic element underlying and in magnetic engagement with said shuttle member, whereby the operative movement of said actuating me ber between said limiting positions will cause a corresponding movement of said shuttle member, said needle being operatively movable transversely with respect to the operative path of said shuttle member, whereby said latter member operatively passes through the loop carried by the needle, and means to retract said needle after said shuttle member reaches its said upper limiting position and to pull said loop between the adjacent port-ions of said mag- Edler et al. Nov. 14, 1899 Schoenfeld Jan. 20, 1914 8 Y Dickie et al. June 7, 1932 Crompton May 28, 1940 Levine Dec. 12, 1944 Eisenbeiss Oct. 5, 1954 Walton July 26, 1955 OTHER REFERENCES German application, Serial No. M 18467, M-ay 3, 1956 (K152a GR 4304). 

